Update Season VIII - "Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!"

[Joe Biden 2020]

It's pretty disgusting to me to leave domesticated animals outside most of the time in this day and age. I'm not even like an animal freak either; it just seems wrong.

I agree. Most dogs who live the majority outside still come inside to sleep at night. I don't know of a person who's dog stays outside 100% of the time barring a major storm. It is disgusting to me. I wish someone would take this poor little puppy and give him a good home.

Shut your mouth.  Do you not understand there is a cat in the house?  If we were to bring the dog inside, nobody would get any sleep and everything would be broken.

[Joe Biden 2020]

It's so frustrating. Exploring? You can't explore sitting on your couch watching baseball and napping. This is a poor little puppy. I saw the pictures. He's adorable. Don't leave him outside in the upper 80s and 90s. It's bad enough you won't bring him inside, but some dogs do live outdoors. But to leave him outside without shelter is just cruel to the poor thing.

Quit being lazy and get the little pup pup a house. Someone ought to call the animal helpers and give that poor dog a home where he will be cared for.

Quit your whining.  Dad has been going by Petsmart and Walmart checking out prices and features of the dog house every day at lunch, so I imagine he'll get one tomorrow or Thursday.  We are not bad owners and no one can accuse us of such.  We love this dog.  He does have a temporary shelter until we get the more permanant shelter, so he's not totally defenseless.

So Dad pulls double shifts and does the leg work while you do what, exactly? 

Seriously?  I don't have the money to get a dog house.  Dad does.  So, it makes sense to let Dad pick out the dog house that he will buy.

[Joe Biden 2020]

It's pretty disgusting to me to leave domesticated animals outside most of the time in this day and age. I'm not even like an animal freak either; it just seems wrong.

Like opebo said, that is common practice in the country. If he would just get the doghouse for shelter I dont see anything wrong with that.

(of course it depends what you mean by outside)

Indeed.  The forum just likes to accuse me of everything under the sun, 99% of which is completely untrue.  That is their favorite thing.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Do you realize that puppies shouldn't live outside AT ALL, right? They should be at least a year or two old before they live outside permanently.

So no, you aren't being good owners.

This conversation is pointless.  I win, you lose.

[Joe Biden 2020]

It's pretty disgusting to me to leave domesticated animals outside most of the time in this day and age. I'm not even like an animal freak either; it just seems wrong.

Like opebo said, that is common practice in the country. If he would just get the doghouse for shelter I dont see anything wrong with that.

(of course it depends what you mean by outside)

Indeed.  The forum just likes to accuse me of everything under the sun, 99% of which is completely untrue.  That is their favorite thing.

No, the problem is that you and your family have shown a history of chronic bad decision making and some don't want a puppy to suffer for your mistakes.

This is something that isn't about YOU for once.

I understand developing a bond with an animal you found and I appreciate that but sometimes you need to do what's in the best interests of the dog. You have already stated that your home is not suitable.

Bushie 1, Forum 0.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Leaving the dog outside is not cruel.  That is common practice.  He has a temporary shelter and we'll get his permanent shelter before the end of the week.  Politicus is providing a voice of reason, yet you are ignoring her because it doesn't accuse me of being a horrible pet owner.  You guys don't provide the voices of reason.  All you do is attack, attack, attack, insult, attack, insult, attack.  That's not the voice of reason.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Bushie resulting to childlike tactics again when he knows he's wrong but he's afraid to admit it.

Anyway, not surprising. Bushie is about as mature as I was when I was 12 and is even less responsible.

I'm not resorting to childlike tactics.  I'm telling the truth about this forum.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Leaving the dog outside is not cruel.  That is common practice.  He has a temporary shelter and we'll get his permanent shelter before the end of the week.  Politicus is providing a voice of reason, yet you are ignoring her because it doesn't accuse me of being a horrible pet owner.  You guys don't provide the voices of reason.  All you do is attack, attack, attack, insult, attack, insult, attack.  That's not the voice of reason.

A dog can live outside, yes, but this is a puppy, i.e. it's a baby. You don't leave little puppies outside alone in all of the elements. I'm glad you're feeding him and nursing him back to health, but it has taken far too long for you all to get him the shelter he so desperately needs. It's hard for an animal like that to live outside at that age without its mother or something else. You have to remember dog's are domesticated now. They aren't wild animals.

Instead of being mature and reasonable, you're playing kid games. It's just amazing.

Be quiet.  All you are trying to do is make me feel guilty and ruin my days ahead of a fun trip.  I refuse to me made to feel guilty.  We are treating this dog well.  [/conversation].

[Joe Biden 2020]

Bushie resulting to childlike tactics again when he knows he's wrong but he's afraid to admit it.

Anyway, not surprising. Bushie is about as mature as I was when I was 12 and is even less responsible.

I'm not resorting to childlike tactics.  I'm telling the truth about this forum.

"I'm right, you're wrong!" Yeah, you've definitely been right about everything over the advice of this forum, yes. Of course.

You do know it's incredibly frustrating to watch someone like you, who most of us actually do care about, do what you do? And please, don't tell me I shouldn't care. I have become invested in your story. If you didn't want people to care, you shouldn't even be here.

This conversation is becoming heated for absolutely no reason.  You've done a nice job of ruining my attitude.  Congratulations.  I've got to step away from the Update for a few minutes and pack my carry on.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Things are okay now.  I just packed my carry on.  Mom and I will probably go to Petsmart and look for a dog house.  Depending on how big it is, we may go ahead and get it and put it together this evening (if it requires assembly).  We've only got my small Sentra, so we won't be able to transport an already-assembled house.  If we find one, we'll send Dad after it with his Jimmy tomorrow and set it up before I leave.  At least for right now, the dog has a temporary shelter from the heat.  Plus, as opie mentioned, dogs are very resourceful by nature, so he can find his own shelter where he likes to lay the best.  Plus, our front porch is pretty shaded as it is as it has a roof that covers the entire span of the floor.  It's not screened in, but it is covered.  It's usually about 5 degrees cooler on the porch than the rest of the open yard.

EDIT: I just talked to Dad and he will take Jimmy tomorrow and get a dog house and have it set up tomorrow evening before I get home from church.  It's not supposed to get hot until Thursday.

[Joe Biden 2020]

If I were Bushie's neighbor and saw that pup out 24/7 I'd call a shelter or animal control officer.

Don't some forumites know his address? One of us ought to do it.

There's no need to call a shelter for something that a lot of pet owners do.  They are likely to just laugh and move on.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Plus, it's common courtesy not to be a busybody in another man's matters.  I wouldn't call the authorities on any forumite, so I expect the same respect.  I know I share a lot more than I should, but still that aside, if someone else were doing that, I would not be a busybody in someone else's problem.  If someone around my neighborhood thinks something is wrong, they would call it.  For a stranger hundreds of miles away to call an animal shelter would look way too suspicious for it to be credible.

[Joe Biden 2020]

We're leaving in just about 5 minutes to look at a dog house that Dad will purchase tomorrow.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Mom and I just went and checked out the dog house that Dad spotted yesterday.  He is going to get it tomorrow when he has his SUV and put it together tomorrow evening.  It won't fit him as an adult, but it will fit him for now and then we can order one online when the time comes.  This will give us a head start.  The dog will only have to spend one more night without it and its supposed to be comfortable this evening in the mid to high 60's.  We also looked at a water dish with a filter on it, but read on the box it's only for indoor use.  So, we'll just continue to go out there every 2-3 hours and change his water during the heat of the day.  We're going to put the dog house on the already covered porch, so the sun won't bake the dog house.  We also bought him a collar and leash so we can take him for walks every now and then and so it will be easier to take him to the vet which we plan to do the Saturday after I get back - July 6.  Short of bringing him inside, this is the next best thing.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Oh, and we have further defined what J.J. stands for - Jeff Junior.  Scary, isn't it!

[Joe Biden 2020]

I feel so bad for that little puppy. First he was abandoned and now he's being isolated by his new owners. Dogs are social creatures, especially as puppies, that is the time to care and love them as much as you can. I hate this. I'm not the type to call the authorities on you, because I believe in personal autonomy, but still, this is one of the more heartbreaking things you've done.

The pup can't be older than a few months, if that, and the poor little thing is destined for a life sitting outdoors, where his owners will feed him every few hours and go back inside.

As far as we can tell, he is 7 weeks old.  He was probably 6 weeks when he found us and he's been with us for a week.  We put his birthdate around May 1.  We'll definitely be spending lots of time outdoors with him this summer and this fall.  If things get unbearably hot, we'll bring him indoors.  We need our exercise, too. Especially me, so we'll get outside quite often for at probably an hour or two at a time, walk him, play fetch with him, love him, feed and water him, bathe him, etc.  When I get back from Africa, I plan to spend a lot of time out there with him.  While I'm in school, I plan to spend an hour or two each evening out there with him, playing with him, walking him, hold him, pet him etc.  Just because he'll be an outdoor dog doesn't mean we will never get outside and talk to him.  We did that with our previous dogs.  They were all outdoor dogs and we got out there and played, walked, fed, bathed the dogs and had a grand ole' time.  We have never had an indoor dog in the 31 years I have been alive, mainly because we've always lived in a trailer where there is already limited space.

[Joe Biden 2020]

You've always let your 6 week old puppy live outdoors alone (and I don't mean you play with it for a few hours and then go inside)?

Maybe we should change the subject. This is actually really bothering me, because I love dogs, and when I've had a dog, it was a member of my family. I don't mean to be harsh but this is just too much.

We can change the subject.  That would be fine.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Changing the subject - As of 16:00, I will have 32 hours until Kenya 2013 begins (I consider it to begin at midnight Thursday Morning), 35 hours until I wake up, 38 hours until I leave for Will Rogers World Airport, 42:40 until the flight departs for Dulles, 45:28 until the flight lands at Dulles, and 48:50 until the flight departs for Brussels, Belgium.

[Joe Biden 2020]

we've always lived in a trailer

Millions of Americans have, so what?

[Joe Biden 2020]

Here's a subject change.  I just changed my avatar to R-OK.  The reason for that is I think the country will be ready for a Republican President by 2016.  As of now, I plan on voting Republican.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I feel so bad for that little puppy. First he was abandoned and now he's being isolated by his new owners. Dogs are social creatures, especially as puppies, that is the time to care and love them as much as you can. I hate this. I'm not the type to call the authorities on you, because I believe in personal autonomy, but still, this is one of the more heartbreaking things you've done.

The pup can't be older than a few months, if that, and the poor little thing is destined for a life sitting outdoors, where his owners will feed him every few hours and go back inside.

Changing the subject back because this is so important. I can confirm this. My next-door neighbors simply bought a doghouse, tied their dog up, only went out twice to feed her, and just left her to her own devices for eight years. She looked absolutely miserable, and it went on for eight years before a neighbor tipped the authorities and the dog got taken away for neglect.

Please, the very least you can do is get the pup a companion. Dogs do not do well in isolation.

We will not neglect him, I can assure you.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Changing the subject - again.  Lief, I am still a registered Democrat, but I think the country will be ready for the Republicans to take over January 2017.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Since we aren't changing it

Yes, we are.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Changing the subject - again.  Lief, I am still a registered Democrat, but I think the country will be ready for the Republicans to take over January 2017.

Any particular reason? Do you think they have better ideas or that their ideas better fit where the country will be in 2016?

I think its the natural ebb and flow of the country.  After 12 years of Republican leadership (Reagan and Bush), the country was ready for Clinton.  After 8 years of Clinton, the country was ready for Bush.  After 8 years of Bush, the country was ready for Obama.  After 8 years of Obama, the country will be ready for a Republican.  I tend to think of the American electorate like a pendulum.  It swings back and forth from right to left and back again.  Right now, the pendulum in on the left, but I can see it starting to swing back to the right again.  It's not that either party has better ideas than the other, which they don't.  They're just fresh ideas.  The country needs balance and so its good for party control to switch every 8-12 years.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Does anyone know what this soon-to-be-dead puppy looks like? I keep hearing people say he's cute, but I haven't seen any pics of little J.J.

Morbid much?